Improvement in electro-magnetic musical instruments



L. WESSON. ELECTROMAGNETIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT. 144 I Patented Apr. 4, 1865.

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LORENZO Wesson, on cnILL'Ico'rnn, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN ELECTED-MAGNETIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 47, 144, dated April 4, 1865.

To all whom it may concern: will be accurately equidistant. The rows run- Be it known that I, LORENZO WESSON, of ning lengthwise are intended to correspond Ohillicothe, in the county of Ross and State with the "arious lines and spaces of theinusioof Ohio, have invented certain new and useful staif, the treadles and valves of bellows to be Improvementsin Elect-ro-Magnetic' Musicallnworked, and the extra batteries to be thrown struments; andIdo hereby declare thefollowa into use as more notes are to be played or ing to be a full and exact description of the louder expression given. Otherwise the lonsame, reference being bad to the accompanygitudinal rows of holes correspond in number ing-drawings,makingpartoithis specification, and position, respectively, to the magnets unin whichder the control of the music-board and the ex- Figure l is a plan or top view of a portion tra batteries which are'to be used, as hereinof a musical instrument illustrating my invenafter explained. tion. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section D D D D represent movable type formed of the same at a: m, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a tran'swith shanks d, by which they are placed and verse section thereof at 3 y. held in the holes I) b. Thesaid type are made Similar letters of reference indicate corre-- of a length to correspond to the whole note of spending parts in the several views. music or any subdivisions thereof.

Thisinvention relates to that class of instru- Upon the keyboard 0 are secured a series ments in which, by means of a series of elecor range of elastic or yielding levers, G G, tro-magnets and devices for throwing any of each projecting over one of the longitudinal them in any combined orsuccessive-orderiuto rows of holes in the music-board B, and adaptcircuit with a galvanic battery, music may be ed to be raised by the type D D D D as the produced upon any wind or string instrument latter pass beneath them. which is played with keys. E E E, &c., may represent electro-magnets My invention particularly consists, first, in or conductors therefrom. devices for playing music automatically with F may represent the main battery or a convariable expression and touch, as written by ductor therefrom, and f f the conducting-wires the composer, by operating upon the keys or by which the poles of the said battery are hammers with stronger or weaker currents, or placed in connection with the respective ends by operating upon the treadles or valves of of the range of levers G. F may represent an bellows of difl'erent degrees of compressed air extra battery or conductor therefrom. for blowing wind-instruments; second, in the f f areconducting-wires extendingbctween construction or use of a circuit-breaker or cirthe levers G G and the battery F. emit-closer provided with movable appliances HHare conducting-wires extending between of any suitable nature and form, by which the the levers G andthe magnets E E E same apparatus may be adapted or adjusted I I are disconnected conducting-plates, so to produce any music desired. attached :to' the front edge of a key-board, G, In order that others skilled in the artto which one beneath each of the levers G, that the said my invention appertains may be enabled to levers, when in their normal position, will rest fully understand and use the same, I will proupon the edges of the plates H. ceed to describe its construction and operation. a J J are conducting-wires, one of which ex- In the accompanying drawings, Amay reptends from each of the plates I to the stationresenta suitable bed or box; B, a music-board ary part of the lever next in succession. I adapted to slide or otherwise move thereon, It will thus appear that each lever is in perand O a key-board, upon oriu which the cirmanent connection with the plate beneath the cuits are made andbroken as required, tosound preceding lever; also, that each lever is in conthe required notes or produce the required vanection with the plate beneath it while at rest, riation's of tone or expression. Y but that this connection is broken as the levers The music-board B is provided with aperare raised. It will further appear that the keyturcs I) 1), arranged in longitudinal or trans board is traversed by two circuits-a long cirverse rows, the transverse rows being set accuit, passing through any or all of the magnets curately at equal distances apart, so that the E E E and a short circuit, passing directly particular holes in each longitudinal range across through the plates I, wires J, and levers extra batteries a suitable armature and lover, so as to operate the key of any suitable musical instrument.

K represents a stationary conducting-bar, which is in permanent connection with the last magnet E and also with the last of the series of plates 1. The bar K projects over the lever G in such a position that the;said lever will not be in contact with it while resting in its lower or normal position; but when raised the said lever will. be thrown into contact with the bar K and the additional battery F thus placed in electrical connectionwith the circuit across the key-board. The raising of the levers G to break the short circuit and divert the current to either of the electro-magnets is efl'ectedby type D D D set up in proper positions in the movable board B, and the length of time to produce the required length of sound is regulated by the length of the type. In like manner the raising of the lever G to bring the extra battery F into action is efi'ected by the type D set up in the holes I) of the said movable board. The period during which this increased power of the magnet continues is regulated by the length of the pipe D ,and the'force of the sound is regulated by the number or power of brought into use, any desired number thereof being used, with a lever, G, and a bar, K, for each. Now, taking the magnet which corresponds to the first-long row of holes, one of its wires is connected with the short route outside of that break in; it that corresponds to the same long row'ofholes. Its

other wire and one of the wires of the next magnet corresponding to the next row of holes are connected with the short route between the break first mentioned and the next break; so on are all the magnets under control of the music- 'board connected.

All the positive wires of the different batteries to be used are connected together'on one side of the music-board into the long and short circuits. The negative wiresof the same bat teries terminate all'texcep'tone, 'whiclr'may be" called a constant circuit) at the other side of the music-board in the key, and are kept independent of each other, except when thrown into the constant circuit, by'the lever, when raised, joining its circuit. Now, it willhe seen that every magnet under. the control of the music-board has its two wires terminating each on oppositesides of that break in the short route which corresponds to itself. Suppose the circuit lying in the short route, if, then, one or more breaks in the shortroute be opened, the circuit will instantly be through the magnet or magnets corresponding to the breaks opened. As soon as each break is closed the circuit will revert back to the shorter route which its closingwill afford. Now, having rows of holes corresponding to the lines and spaces of the music-staff and type corresponding to the notes written on the stafi, it wilt be clearly understood howthe type may be set 1p to operate upon the keys, valves, &c., of musical instruments through the agency of electro magnets. When the type are set up the board is made to slide, by hand or mechanical power, uniformly under the key-board. The type will raise the levers and the circuit will be diverted from the short route into the route through the magnets corresponding to .the types and for intervals of time corresponding to'the various lengths of type set up.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that my invention, besides playing in perfect tune and in perfect time, differs from other electromagnetic musical apparatus in affording the most complete means for regulatin g the expression, the battery power being automatically increased or diminished as required for the greater or less number of magnets used or for the louder or softer tones tobe produced. My apparatus will thus automatically play any music with expression equal to that given by the most accomplished performer.

Various other devices may be employed to effect the breaking and the closing of the circuit at'the desired places and for the proper lengths of time. To illustrate this I will pro-- ceed to describe two modifications of the invention, in both of which the music-board B (which receives the movable type) is designed to remain stationary and the keyboard to niove instead thereof. On each side of each longitudinal row of holes there lies a channel of mercury. Each magnet under the control of the music-board has its two wires, terminating respectively in the 'two'cha'nuels of mercury, lying one on each side of the longitudinal row of holes. which magnet.

Underthe first modification there projects down from the end of eachlever two metal points into the two channels of mercurywhich lie on each side of the row of holes which corresponds to the lever. The short route .willbe through this series of metaltpoints and the mercury into which they dip. These points corresponds with the said which the levers are attached, and they may be called sliding connections. .When the keyboard is made, to slide over the type set up on 'the stationary music-board the lever 'will'be raised by type suitably arranged for the purpose. The metallic points will thus be lifted from the mercury and the circuit will be diverted from the short route into the magnets which correspond to the levers that are raised on substantially the same principle as that already described. The extra batteries will be thrown inv by causing the points to dip in, instead of causing them to be lifted out of, the channels of mercury.

efi'ect the breaking Under the second modification, instead of setting up type corresponding in length and position to the notes of the music, in order to of the short route at the proper places and for the proper lengths of time, holes of insulated mercury will be used for this purpose. The music-board will have its magnet and battery connections,'its longitudinal and transverse rows of holes, and its key-board similar to those described under the first modification. nels will be filled with mercury. The mercury in each hole inlongitudinal row No. 1 will have the metallic connection with the mercury in channel No. 2. The mercury in the holes of longitudinal row No.2 will have metallic connections with the mercury in channel No. 3,

' and so on. From the key-board there will project down point No. 1 into channel of mercury N0. 1. PointNo. 1 connects with Pointsiio. 2. These-two points'have a difference in their length, so that either must be in the insulated mercury ot a hole while the other is sliding over the insulating-division which separates the mercury of the two contiguous holes. Now, as the mercury in the row of holes N 0.1 has metallic connection with mercury in channel 2, it will be seen how the short route' lies through this series of points in the key-board and the mercury in the holes and channels of the musimboard into which they dip. The channels and holes on'the music-board being filled with mercury and the key-board made or caused to slide, the circuit wouldlie in the short route, as described; but if the mercury should be displaced from one or more of the holes it is evident that points No.2 2'2 2', -& c., must lose their connection with the mercury as they pass over the holes from which it has been displaced. Thus it will be seen how the breaks may be made at the proper places and for the proper periods of time, in order to control the magnets which operate upon the keys, &c., as

All the holes and chair number of magnets in use or with the strength. of sound required in any manner, substantially asset forth 2. A music-board, B, provided with independent movable type acting upon or constituting circuit-breakers or circuit-closers to regulate or govern the tone, power, or length of sounds produced by means of electromagnetism.

. 3. The key-board 0, connected with-a. series of magnets, and constructed, substantially as set forth, with two or more circuitsby which any of the said magnets may be put in action at will.

4. In combination with the key-board G and series of magnets, the levers G, plates I, and wires-J, allarranged as described, and adapted to operate substantially as and for the pur-.

poses set forth.

5. In combination with the electro-magnets E E E, music-board B, and additional battery F, the, lever G, operating, substantially as described, to open communication between the add tional battery and magnets when required.

The above specification of my improvement in electromagnetic musicalinstruments signed this 2d'day of May, 1864.

LORENZO WESSON.

Witnesses:

W. B. BURR, H. GRAMBo. 

